January 01, 2012

No jobs for cigarettes smokers in a Pennsylvania hospital: starting February 1, 2012, job applicants must pass nicotine test

A hospital in the eastern town of Danville in the state of Pennsylvania known as Geisinger Health System, will screen new job applicants and will set its no-nicotine policy into effect starting February 1, 2012, as reported by CNN. While no-smoking signs have been placed on Geisinger hospital facilities to deter staffs and guests since 2007, the new no-nicotine policy for new job applicants will create the hospital as smoke free environment.

Citing the hospital spokeswoman, CNN also reported that new job applicants who will be tested positive for nicotine could still apply for a job at the hospital as long as they promise to quit within the next six months. The hospital will spend about $50,000 per year to help job applicants to stop smoking and to educate job applicants to change their smoking habit.